Metal 3D Printing

[Java]

The end of machine shops?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdiwBiw5dyo


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40d7ZTsnaZI

[speedkills]

At $99,500 I would think only machine shops would own them.

[The StRanger]

Ya. I don’t think it’s the end of the machine shop but a BIG addition to the Machine shop...

[Jim]

Emerging tech - it'll be fun to see it mature (better results, lower cost).

[Java]

3d printing is going to replace everything, I think it is one of the best area to watch for investment in the future. Imagine you need a powersteering bracket for a 55 chevy- someone scans on once, then anyone can download the file, print the bracket, all the fasteners and an appropriately sized wrench to install it. You can currently print a functioning human heart, kidneys, tissues. Anything at all that can be made from plastic, metal or ceramic will soon be printed. It's just like electric cars and the battery tech- the additive tech is the key, and it's moving fast.

"Additive manufacturing—the technical name for 3D printing—transforms the way we build objects, opening up a universe of new possibilities. By gradually adding layers of materials, instead of cutting and soldering, 3D printing allows us to build parts with new geometries. And new geometries have different physical properties: think of a honeycomb structure that gives you greater resistance with less weight. This is where 3D printing becomes a very powerful tool for industrial applications: we can now build parts that are lighter, more heat resistant, stronger; and we can build the same products with fewer parts: for one of their jet engines, GE engineers reduced 855 separate parts to just 12 (https://www.ge.com/reports/mad-props-3d-printed-airplane-engine-will-run-year/), dramatically simplifying the assembly process.With additive manufacturing, complexity is free: we can build a geometrically very complex object as easily as a simpler one. But at the same time, additive manufacturing helps reduce complexity by giving us fewer parts to assemble."

https://www.forbes.com/sites/marcoannunziata/2019/12/17/2020-the-year-ahead-in-3d-printing/#6d643ef8407f

https://www.zdnet.com/article/2020-predictions-5-telling-trends-in-3d-printing/